All It Took
by MadameFru
Summary: Sometimes all it takes is a second... Kinda an AU fic. B/S eventually. Not sure if I should carry on.
1. Prologue

Summary:  
Based on Un-conventional Challenge #1 at Wave on the Sea:  
Must Haves: Sometimes all it takes is a second...Take one point in any of the seasons, and split it in half, and show how it could have/couldn't have changed everything (in a UC way).  
Relationship: Any  
Challenger: Gwen  
  
Disclaimers: I own nothing. Please don't sue me *puppy dog eyes*  
  
Authors Note: I started writing this a while ago pls R&R to let me know if I should carry on.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I sit here and I wonder about what's happened. I wonder about what I'm about to do. I know its wrong, everything. This whole life I'm leading is wrong, the things that I've done, that I'm doing, they shouldn't happen, and I believe that with every fibre of my being.   
  
When I found out he'd been taken I was in the wrong place, but if I'd been in the right place then everything would have gone wrong. Does that make any sense? Hell no.   
  
But been as this is just my diary I don't suppose it matters. Unless things go wrong tonight (there's that word again) and in that case I love you all.  
  
Every one of you. 


	2. If I Stay

She ran, she ran like she was barefoot on hot coals. The helicopter was leaving the ground.  
  
"Riley! RILEY!" She screamed, but it was no good. There was no way he could hear her over the roar of the twirling blades. She fell to the ground, raking her hands through her hair and sobbing.  
  
She didn't sense the slight change, the slight skip as if there was a scratch in the film.  
  
She didn't see him turn. She didn't see his eyes fall upon her wrecked figure. But she felt his hand upon her shoulder. "Buffy?"  
  
"Oh god Riley. Oh god I'm sorry, I'm just so so sorry," and she was, she had driven him to those ho-bag vamps, she'd shut him out of her life.  
  
"I know you are, I know. I forgive you. Lets go talk somewhere, okay?"  
  
The figure in the shadows watched them stand and walk away like something from a movie, the helicopters blades still beating in the background as the soldier swung his kit bag over his shoulder, took his woman's hand and walked slowly back towards the centre of Sunnydale.  
  
He took a swig from his hip flask and followed. It wasn't fair, this man didn't deserve her. But then again Spike didn't deserve her either, infact, as Buffy had let him know in no uncertain terms, he was beneath her. But still he followed. Stalked is such an unpoetic word.  
  
Buffy led Riley up to her room and sat beside him on the bed. "If I stay Buff, some things are going to have to change." He announced gravely, taking her hand like she was a small child who didn't understand.  
  
"You've got to let me in, you have to let me know that you need me. Those Vamps.." Buffy flinched, "...they meant nothing, but I needed to feel a part of someone, do you understand?"  
  
She wiped the tears from her eyes and placed her hands on his wide chest. How could she have almost made this one leave too? He was staring at her with big, puppy-dog eyes that nearly broke her heart. Angel wasn't her fault, but she had to keep Riley, if Riley left it would be all her.  
  
"I understand." she whispered, trembling as he bought his mouth to hers. It was going to be okay. She wasn't going to be alone.  
  
Outside, Spike leant against a tree and exhaled a long plume of smoke. *Bloody great*, he thought, *In one evening I've managed to mightily piss off one slayer who's just dying for an excuse to stake my ass, fail to scupper the romance of said slayer who I just so happen to have found my self in sodding love with, and reveal said love of said slayer to said slayer's poof of a boyfriend whom I'm unable to defend myself against because of the stupid, bloody, wanking CHIP!*  
  
"Jeez Spike, get a grip!" Spike turned, startled, from the tree he'd found himself kicking and was met by a teenage girl with her hands on her hip and one eyebrow extremely high in the air.  
  
"Were you thinking about stopping the assault on my foliage any time soon? Because, well firstly its just weird, and secondly, if you don't I'm gonna point out how so wigged out you were by an innocent little girl." Dawn finished with a chuckle.  
  
Spike tried to bring himself back into control, but failed miserably. "What? Bloody hell! I wasn't! And anyway who would you tell when I'd ripped out your vocal cords and crocheted them into a nice doily for your ma eh?" Good Spike, that was it, but the little chit back in her place, show her who's gonna be doing all the scaring round these parts.  
  
"Whatever. You can't hurt me; you're all neutered and stuff. Impotent."  
  
"What the ffff...?! I mean no I am not! Well, yeah there's the chip and all, but where the hell did you pick up that last word?"  
  
Dawn saw the weak spot and dived right in. "What word? Ohhhhh, you mean 'impotent'. Buffy said it."  
  
That was it the last straw. Spike growled menacingly and stalked off into the night, his coat flowing behind him.  
  
*Hell, at least he can still make a good exit.* thought Dawn with a smile. Plush he was all sexy and stuff. *Note to self, hide new crush, continue thoughts in diary.*  
  
She turned and gazed up at Buffy's window. She'd given them at least five minutes. All the icky noises should be done with now. *No wonder Buffy's always so frustrated*. And with a smirk Dawn went in and to bed. 


	3. Absent

Buffy turned away from Riley so they lay back to back. She'd done the right thing. This was right. So why did it feel strange? But no, she had to fight those feelings, *Riley's a great guy, a fantastic guy, and If I'm so emotionally retarded that I can't see that, well, I'm just gonna have to learn.*  
  
She suddenly became aware of awkward circles being traced over her shoulderblades. God he couldn't want to again, surely? *No Buffy, you're in bed with your boyfriend, think happy cosy snuggly thoughts*. Turning, she gazed into his watery eyes. "Buffy, I love you." Riley whispered.  
  
*Okay Buffy, here we go, you can say it, love love love love, easy, here we go....*  
  
"I have to go patrol."  
  
Crap.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
She'd dusted nigh on a dozen vamps, but she wasn't satisfied. she felt none of the peace that usually came with the slay, infact frustration still pulsed through her.   
  
Why wasn't she enough for him? God know it wasn't his fault, but couldn't any one want the full Buffy package?   
  
Her train of thought was rudely interrupted by a pair of cold hands around her throat as a rather large female vamp threw herself on Buffy from behind.  
  
"Isn't death usually good for weight-loss?" Buffy croaked as she fell to the floor under the obese vampiress.  
  
"Tonight you die slayer!"  
  
"Mphmhh Mmmmfff!" Buffy's witty retort was muffled by the layers of flesh enveloping her.   
  
"What was that?"   
  
"Mmmmmphh Mmmmmmmf!"  
  
"I still can't hear you you prissy little girl!"  
  
"I think you'll find it was something along the lines of 'AS'" A british voice cut in, "'IF!'"   
  
Buffy was overwhelmed by a feeling of lighness, and then started choking on way too many pounds of dust. Cat-like she sprang to her feet, just in time to see her least favourite vamp stride off into the darkness of the cemetry. *Oh no, he's not gonna get away from me that easily.* She gave chase.  
  
Three thoughts passed quickley through Spikes mind as he sensed the slayers presence closing in, *Bloody hell, she's following me.* closely followed by *I don't want to die! Again!*, and also *God she smells good, vanilla and anger definately a good mix*, but he filed that away in the 'innapropriate thoughts about the Slayer' part of his brain to mull over later. If there was a later.  
  
"Spike! Why the hell haven't you got way out of Sunnydale? I'd credited you with slightly more intelligence than to not only stay, but also interupt my slayage just after you have MAJORLY PISSED ME OFF!"  
  
From behind she grabbed his shoulder and spun him round, holding onto the lapell of his Jacket with one hand and ahh, there it was, Mr pointy in the other.  
  
Spike raised his hands slowly in the air, "Look slay- erm Buffy, I'm sorr-"  
  
"Oh don't even think about trying to apologise to me Mr.! What you did tonight, there" kick "was" slap "no" shove "EXCUSE!"  
  
Spike wondered how he'd gotten from a quiet walk to fetch more fags to lying in the graveyard being straddled by the Slayer with a stake hovering dangerously close to his heart and a look in Buffy's eyes he'd never seen before. She looked like she'd really do it.  
  
"Actually, you know what Spike? I think I'd like to hear one. Why? Why lead me to that place? Might be nice for you to get it off your chest," she dug Mr. Pointy in a little harder, "so to speak. Think of it as a last confession."  
  
Well, he was gonna die. May as well tell the truth, "Because he doesn't deserve you, because what he was doing disgusted me. Me! I've seen and done things that would make even your blood run cold slayer, but I've never given up a chance like that."  
  
Her lips were trembling slightly, "Like what?"  
  
"A chance at heaven. A chance to live a life all other men envied. The chance to be with you.  
  
Spike closed his eyes and waited for oblivion. At least it was her that was doing it. They would dance right untill their last moment. He wished he could tell her, but, oh what the hell. "I love you."   
  
But when he opened his eyes to say it, she was already half way across the cemetary. Running. So he picked himself up, dusted himself down and walk ed back towards the crypt.   
  
She hadn't killed him. Maybe he should stick around for a while.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
As Buffy slipped back between her sheets she was shaking. What had happened back there? She could have staked him, surely? She visulised the scene to make sure, *Me, on top of Spike, Mr pointy in my hand.*  
Yup, definate oppertunity to stake the bane of her life there. Okay, there must have been something else that stopped her, *Right come on brain, okay. Me, on top of Spike, Mr pointy in hand, Spike saying the sweetest things that anyone had sais to her in a long time.*  
  
Oh yeah, there it was.  
  
He'd told her how stupid Riley had been to risk loosing her, and then just lay there, very still, as if deep in thought. Thats when she got up and ran before he could say anything else. Because why should she listen to him? The peroxide pests stupid attempts to cause her pain by splitting Riley and her up weren't going to work. Riley and her were fine.  
  
It was only when she turned to snuggle up to him that she realised that he wasn't there. 


	4. Raining on the Parade

Author's note : Thanks for all the reviews, and thanks to Gwen, Lis and J for making me carry on. Please R&R, as Gwen would say, it validates me ;)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The scoobs looked up as the bell of the Magic Box rang, and were met with a disorientated looking Buffy.  
  
"Hey gang, what evil's a brewin?"   
  
Giles began to clean his glasses. If Buffy had been actually paying attention then she'd have probably quipped about this not being a good sign.  
  
"Well, not evil exactly." the watcher announced with a strained expression.  
  
"Huh?"   
  
Anya came around from behind the counter where she had been polishing an array of crystals.  
  
"Giles is all tense because he's going to go to England to see the council who think he's incompetent. I'm happy as this means the shop is left in my hands."  
  
"And mine!" Willow interjected.  
  
Buffy sat down at the table. *Concentrate Buffy, you can hold it together, at least act like you're listening*  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Are you quite alright Buffy? You seem a little...distracted." Giles was concerned, he was hopefully about to find out exactly who this Glory woman was and this was no time for his slayer to lose concentration.  
  
Xander looked from slayer to watcher. *Buff's not looking so good, wonder why? Oh! I know this! Riley!* "Buffy, why don't you go get with the kicking of faux-demon ass in the danger room whilst Will and Anya conclude their power struggle?"  
  
Buffy gave him a small smile, "Okay. I feel a bit tense. It'd be good to work out for a while," and wandered into the training room. Xander gazed at his beloved and his best friend, who were currently giving each other the death-glare, and decided to let them work it out between themselves.  
  
When he walked into the back room of the shop Buffy was already strapped up and giving a punch bag a very hard time.   
  
"Buffy? By your mood I think I can guess what happened last night"  
  
*Oh really? That I finally persuaded my boyfriend to stay with me, then managed to screw it up completely within two hours? Plus the weird stuff with...nope, that's not even something I'm prepared to discuss in my inner dialogue*  
  
"He stayed Xander, I got there just in time."  
  
"Oh I'm so glad Buff. He's a keeper you know, and plus I'd have no guys to hang out with. I mean I can hardly see myself playing pool with Spike. But hey, isn't this happy news? Why not with the happy?"  
  
"Just...stuff. I don't know. It's just hard, you know? This whole relationship thing. Especially when you're the slayer. I just don't want to mess this up. Riley loves me."  
  
"Yeah, he does." Xander went to leave the room, "and you deserve that."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
The week passed slowly for him. It was the same routine every day; get up, swear at whichever empty bottle he happened to hold in his hand for the godallmighty headache it'd given him, have liquid breakfast, watch TV, and then his favourite time of the night. He'd put on his duster and leave the crypt, and hunt her. He was getting better, now she was easily detected from the other side of the cemetery, that scent of patrol. Sweat and Vanilla, and of course, some nights, blood.  
  
It was a mixed reaction he had now to the third smell. Pure delight, a feeling that he could lose himself in that heady, thick liquid and all of its power; but also fear, a fear that sent him racing to her, desperately seeking her out.   
  
But every night it was never more than a scratch. Every night he would lurk in the bushes or behind a gravestone, only for a moment, assuring himself that she could handle the fight, and then he'd skulk off and drink himself to sleep.   
  
The seventh night was different. He entered his crypt after watching the slayer fight three large vamps. He'd so nearly jumped in and helped her so many times, but every time she found herself in a tricky situation she'd wormed her way out of it somehow. *Gotta hand it to the girl, she knows the dance inside out.* And tonight there'd been a special bonus for Spike. *Mmmmmm leather pants...*  
  
Spike was broken out of his reverie by the sudden sense that he was not alone. It was pitch black in the crypt, so the vampire reached out with his other senses. *Yup, definitely someone there...* As he turned towards the presence a candle suddenly illuminated a sly grin.  
  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy and Riley walked along Revello Drive, hand in hand. He liked to have some sort of physical contact with her whenever possible, when people saw them he wanted them to see his claim over the girl. She was his, and it felt good.  
  
The slayer, on the other hand, felt somewhat deflated. There she'd been in the magic box, delivering a fantastic speech to the crusty old watchers council, hitting hard with her lines about 'powerful witches, an ex demon, a loyal friend and an ex crack-squad commando who's clocked more field time than any of you", AND she'd got Giles his job back, but oh no they couldn't just leave her there being all triumphant. Oh no, they had to tell her that Glory was a god. *Way to rain on my parade, stupid, stuffy, English, tweed-wearing, crumpet-eating...  
  
"Um, Buff?"  
  
Broken from her string of racial slurs the she looked up into her boyfriend's face. "Hmmm?"  
  
"Firstly you nearly walked straight past your own house, and also I asked whether you want to go to the Bronze tomorrow."  
  
"Oh, right. Sorry." *See, I'm a horrible horrible girlfriend, I wasn't even listening to him.* "Of course, lets Bronze, I could do with a night out after tonight's news."  
  
"Yeah," Riley said with a grin, "They kinda stole your thunder tonight hey?"  
  
Buffy stepped up onto the porch. "They sure did, just as I was really getting into being all in control 'I work for no-one you work for me' Buffy. Jeez, those watchers never want me to have any fun!"  
  
"Well, you were getting a bit cocky." Riley pulled Buffy in for a deep kiss. She almost reciprocated, and then realised what he'd actually said.  
  
"EXCUSE ME?" She pushed him away, hard. "What the hell are you trying to say?"  
  
"Well you were getting carried away, you were basically insulting the Council of Watchers!"  
  
She folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. "Your problem with that being?"  
  
"You have no respect for their authority! Frankly Buffy," he took a step towards her, "you looked ridiculous, parading around, giving your big speech like you're Queen Slayer. I mean, where do you get off on doing that? Its just a job Buffy."  
  
"What? No, you don't understand Riley, being The Slayer is a little different from, say, being The Baker, or The Dog Walker, Or The Girl Who Delivers the News Papers. One of the major variations being that non of those people are walking home tonight after just finding out that they are going to have to fight a GOD!" She yelled the last word, and silently added *A god who's after my little sister*, remembering Glory's earlier visit to her house.  
  
"Oh yeah Buffy, I forgot that you now have a whole new problem to obsess over as an excuse to ignore me. Perhaps we should just skip the sex tonight and you should go straight onto patrolling."  
  
She slapped him, hard across the cheek. "How dare you," she uttered.  
  
"Don't think I don't notice you slipping out of bed every night."  
  
"I kinda gathered that from the way that you're never there when I get home."  
  
"What do you expect? Its not exactly pleasant having you climb back on in smelling of sweat and vampires. You expect that to turn me on?"  
  
"A couple of weeks ago you didn't seem so adverse to vampires."  
  
That blow stung. She could tell. Well it served him right.  
  
"You're going to lose me Buffy. I love you, but you're going to lose me."  
  
*No, no no no no no!* She burst into tears, *I've only just got him back!*   
  
"Oh god Riley, I'm so sorry. I'm just confrontational after the Council stuff."  
  
He smiled. "I know Buffy, but it's not really fair to push that onto me now is it?"  
  
Oh, god, no it wasn't! How could she?  
  
"No, no its not. I'm so sorry Riley. I don't want to fight. Forgive me?" She looked up into his eyes, looking small and scared.  
  
He sighed, "Don't I always?" and pulled her into his arms. Their moment was interrupted by Buffy's mother running out onto the porch.   
  
"Buffy! Thank god you're home! Dawn's gone!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"And then I was walkin' through the house real quiet, like, wonderin where the hell peaches had gone with the women, when I heard a noise behind me. Now I can see pretty well in the dark, but there was nothing there. So I stood still and listened, and I could hear a drip...drip...drip..."  
  
Dawn shuddered, there was only a candle between her and Spike, the rest of the crypt was dark and silent, as she had decreed it should be for a proper scary story.   
  
The vampire looked at her, wondering if he should continue. "You alright, bit?" He'd hate to admit that she'd given him a fright earlier, but she had. *Over 100 years as the big bad, and now the only thing that can startle me is the Slayer's kid sister. Spike, you're losing it.* Dawn had explained, proudly, that she couldn't sleep, and been as her mom was in bed and Buffy hadn't got home yet she'd pay her favourite vamp a visit. Spike didn't know whether to be touched or freaked. He'd settled on touched. Even if the Slayer didn't give a toss about him, he was someone's 'Favourite Vampire'.  
  
"Hey, Spike?" Dawn waved her hand in front of his face, "Earth to Spike!" His eyes focused on her. "Are you going to finish the story or carry on grinning like a fool?"  
  
"What?" Spike was slightly disturbed by this, "I don't grin! Nancy boys like Captain Cornbread grin! I smirk!"  
  
"Oh, yeah, well you had a big ol' smirk plastered from ear to ear. Whatcha thinkin about?" It was part of Dawn's mission as a teenager to annoy people. And Spike was fun to annoy, always left himself wide open to her attack.  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
"You were thinking about nothing? I'm sooo not buying that."  
  
*Thats it* Spike thought, *If she thinks she's getting the rest of her story now then she's got another thing coming.*  
  
"Actually, my little platelet, I was thinking that Big Sis is bound to be worried, and therefore I should probly be chucking you out about now." *Ha.*  
  
"Ohhhh, I understand," Dawn said with an innocent smile, and stood up to leave. "So thinking about Buffy was what giving you a grin to rival CoCo the clown." She revelled as the vampire stood up, looking very much more flustered than usual. *Definitely onto something here*  
  
"What? No! Never! Bloody hate the Slayer! Bane of my life! Mortal enemy!"  
  
"Oh okay Spike. Sorry."  
  
"Good, so you should be," he said, shoving her towards the door, "Because its stupid. Me, in love with the Slayer. Pah!"  
  
*Oh I've got him now!* "Spike, I never said anything about you being in love with Buffy."  
  
"Yes you did."  
  
"No, I didn't."   
  
"Did!"  
  
"No, I really didn't, remember? You stopped telling the story, and then I asked you were and then you went all schizo going on about how you're not in love with my sister. I'm thinking the words, digging, hole, and your own are pretty applicable right now." She said with a chuckle.  
  
"Look Dawn, I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH.."  
  
The sound of someone clearing their throat rose from the door. Spike looked up to see a pissed-off looking Slayer.  
  
"Oh bloody hell!" 


End file.
